Episode 5: Genius Loci, Part II
Gerry, Alexandria, and Dr. Lucas were kept in J Ward, and Harry and Lauren were locked up in I Ward, a less restrictive area In the insane asylum. The trio were interviewed separately by Dr. Berger but resisted succumbing to his questioning. The duo does some reading on the hospital’s history and finds out about the former superintendent, Dr. Shine, likely was protecting it from ancient evils by a large stone disk with an occult symbol. They then talk with another patient, Estelle Matthews, who pointed them in the direction of Andy MacBride, the patient who got Nevada’s message out to them, and they chat and are also able to get a message out to the other investigators, suggesting they try to contact Dr. Shine. Dr. Berger also interviews the duo eventually and leaves behind an excerpt from his journal. Stanley and Nevada were able to escape and do some research on the hospital in the library. They come to the same conclusions about Dr. Shine and the stone symbol, and actually call the retired superintendent. He proves very helpful and expresses dismay that his successor has removed the stone, advising them to stay away from the place if they can help it. He mails them a copy of his journal from the time, as well as an image of the symbol. Shortly after contacting Dr. Shine, Andy comes to them with the prisoners’ letter, which reinforces everything they’ve learned. Stanley and Nevada realize the amphitheater is destroyed so it may be hard to find an area to carve the symbol, so return to the hospital to try to figure out where to place it, but when they do, they encounter the entirety of the asylum’s patients and staff in the amphitheater, performing some type of ritual, possibly to appease the giant water-dragon-like creature in the reservoir. Harry, Lauren, Gerry, Alexandria, and Dr. Lucas are tied to gurneys and appear to be sacrifices to the creature, and the patients are engaged in an orgy of violence. It seemed like they might not make it out of the scrum, but were able to escape and run off with Stanley and Nevada. Just as they were escaping, they felt the ground tremble and the water-dragon released a massive energy vortex that sucked all the people and the asylum portion of the hospital down into the ground. When asked later, the staff at the other parts of the hospital would not be able to recall there ever being an asylum on the grounds. Back at the SEU headquarters, after some recovery and rest, the investigators see if they can protect themselves from future types of episodes by tattooing the mystical sign on themselves, and Alexandria learns the spell The Five Points of Wisdom, from the Thaumaturgical Prophecies of the New England Canaan, but ultimately finds that it would not be helpful to them. Shortly afterwards, they are visited by Sherman Brooks, a misguided young man who wants to join a cult for power, and he tells them that he tried to join the cult stationed at the speakeasy, Wish You Were Beer, but they did not think he would be suitable, so he sought out the SEU. The investigators try to dissuade him from such activities, but resolve to investigate this speakeasy to see what they can determine. The investigators also hear of an auction occurring down at Werner’s Auction House in a couple of months, where many occult texts and artifacts will be up for auction. This includes a Chinese R’lyeh Text, an original Der Hexenhammer (Malleus Maleficarum), Oracles of Nostradamus, as well as voodoo dolls, embellished baby corpses, and other artifacts. They consider whether a heist would be possible, given they do not believe they would be able to afford and outbid the other attendants. They hatch a plan to get more information, for example, about where the artifacts will be held. Harry and Alexandria will go as a wealthy couple, the Van Houtens, who have engaged the services of Professor Jones to assist in assessing the materials on offer. It was decided that Lauren, Dr. Lucas, and Stanley will visit the speakeasy, while Harry, Alexandria, and Nevada will visit the auction house.